There has been increased shelling in eastern Ukraine for a second day straight in an escalation of the ongoing Ukraine-Russian crisis. The United States and Western allies fear that the increase in shelling could form part of a Russian pretext to invade Ukraine.
The increase in shelling has led to an announcement by a separatist leader in eastern Ukraine for his region’s residents to evacuate to southeast Russia. Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, is Russian-backed and said on social media that Russia had agreed to provide accommodation for people leaving the region.
The shelling has been described by diplomatic sources as the most intense along the frontline in eastern Ukraine since 2015 when a ceasefire concluded major combat in that region. An estimated 600 explosions were recorded this morning, which is 100 more than were recorded on Thursday. The shelling involved 152mm and 122 mm artillery and large mortars. Tanks have fired at least four rounds.
The source said that they are shooting everyone and everything and that there has been nothing like this in Ukraine since the prior conflict in 2014 to 2015.
Russia has denied the accusations that it is planning to invade Ukraine. This week, Russia has said that it is withdrawing its forces from the border with Ukraine. But Western countries have said the opposite, and that Moscow is not removing troops, but actually adding to their forces, with more personnel and equipment arriving to the border.
Moscow said the shelling in eastern Ukraine is potentially very dangerous. Russia dismissed accusations of plans to invade Ukraine as “Western hysteria.” On Friday, the Kremlin said that a tank unit and two infantry units were being sent back to bases in Russia after completing military exercises.
U.S. President Joe Biden will host a call Friday with Western-allied countries, speaking with leaders of the European Union, NATO, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Romania.
Yesterday, Russia delivered a strongly-worded letter to the U.S. that accused the U.S. of ignoring Russia’s security demands. The letter threatened unspecified “military-technical measures.”
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